Striker Victor Osimhen scored a second-half brace as Napoli fought again to earn a 2-2 draw at Leicester City in a pulsating Europa League Group C conflict on Thursday. Scottish champions Rangers suffered a 2-0 residence defeat by Olympique Lyonnais in Group A after metropolis rivals Celtic, the 1967 European Cup winners, have been overwhelmed 4-3 at Real Betis within the early kick-off in Group G.
Ayoze Perez fired Leicester right into a ninth-minute lead when he side-footed residence an ideal Harvey Barnes cross and Leicester soaked up stress with goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel making a number of high-quality saves earlier than they doubled their lead.
Napoli pressed however have been caught chilly within the sixty fourth minute as Barnes took a defence-splitting go by Kelechi Iheanacho in his stride and drilled a crisp low shot by way of keeper David Ospina’s legs.
😱 The factors are shared in Leicester after a late Napoli equaliser…
Fair consequence? 🤷♂️#UEL pic.twitter.com/dgh07bPLQg
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) September 16, 2021
Nigerian Osimhen pulled one again 5 minutes later with a predator’s end as he pulled away from his marker and poked the ball over the advancing Schmeichel from shut vary.
With Leicester working out of steam, Osimhen rose above his markers to move residence a Matteo Politano cross within the 87th minute and spark wild celebrations on the Napoli bench.
Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi was despatched off in stoppage time for a second yellow card.
Karl Toko Ekambi curled in a pleasant shot from 25 metres to present Lyon the lead at Rangers and visiting keeper Anthony Lopes denied Joe Arbo an equaliser with an excellent reflex save.
🔴🔵 Big opening win for Lyon 💪
Where will they end in Group A?#UEL pic.twitter.com/lQkqzpQuC2
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) September 16, 2021
Lyon sealed the win with a James Tavernier personal objective because the ball ricocheted off the defender after a frantic goal-mouth scramble within the fifty fifth minute.
In the opposite Group A match, Denmark’s Brondby have been held to a 0-0 residence draw by Slavia Prague. In Group B, 1988 European Cup winners PSV Eindhoven got here from behind to pressure a 2-2 residence draw with Real Sociedad and a Krepin Diatta objective gave Monaco a 1-0 win over visiting Sturm Graz.
Emerging expertise Cody Gakpo salvaged a degree for PSV after Adnan Januzaj and Alexander Isak cancelled out Mario Goetze’s opener for the house aspect in a see-saw contest.
In Group D, Mesut Ozil gave Fenerbahce an early lead at Eintracht Frankfurt earlier than Sam Lammers turned in a Filip Kostic cross to make sure a share of the spoils whereas Olympiakos Piraeus eked out a last-gasp 2-1 residence win over Antwerp.
Earlier on Thursday, objectives from Michail Antonio and Declan Rice gave West Ham United a 2-0 Group H win at Dinamo Zagreb whereas 1991 European Cup winners Red Star Belgrade beat Portugal’s Braga 2-1 in Group F.
Here’s each consequence from one other action-packed Thursday night time 🙌
How are you feeling after that? #UEL pic.twitter.com/wHvYRPv3Dv
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) September 16, 2021
Early objectives from Albian Ajeti and Josip Juranovic gave Celtic a 2-0 lead at Betis however a Juanmi brace and objectives by Juan Miranda and Borja Iglesias turned the match on its head earlier than Anthony Ralston arrange a tense end.
